


Pixelated Rainbow

by Rikkamaru



Series: Random Discontinued Stories [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Gen, Nijimura-centric, Video Game Mechanics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-28 06:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12600452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikkamaru/pseuds/Rikkamaru
Summary: Former Guild Master Nijimura is sort of, kind of, on the run from his guild when he meets and befriends new players Kuroko and Ogiwara.





	Pixelated Rainbow

**Author's Note:**

> Nijimura – Wolf-kin Summoner/Samurai (contracts: Wind Serpent, Chikage; Hellcat, Shizuka)(Weapon: Naginata), due to an accident in the game, Nijimura’s in a coma IRL and removing the VR helmet could kill him, so the game makers “hired” him and pay for his hospital bills as compensation.  
> Kuroko – Elf Shadow Mage/Ninja (ninken, Nigou)  
> Aomine – Cat-kin (panther) Berserker/Hunter  
> Kise – Cat-kin (leopard) Blue Mage/Spy  
> Midorima – Human Archer/Exorcist  
> Akashi – Dragon-kin Red Mage/Assassin  
> Murasakibara – Human Guardian/Berserker  
> Momoi – Elf Spy/Cleric  
> Takao – Elf Hunter/Shadow Mage (pet hawk, Wari)  
> Himuro – Dragon-kin Illusionist/Shadow Mage  
> Kagami – Cat-kin (tiger) Knight/Exorcist  
> Ogiwara – Cat-kin (lion) Samurai/Black Mage

“Shuu…Shuu, I’m bored.”

“Can’t we leave, Shuu?”

“It’s been so long since seen anything other than this damned guild house.”

“We don’t blame you, Shuu. You’re technically more trapped than we are. We just…hate seeing you like this.”

“Let’s just go, Shuu. Run away.”

“And where would we go?” Their friend finally answered, his grey eyes flicking open as lifted himself from his hammock. His two contracts looked at each other, then back at him with a growing sense of excitement.

“Anywhere.” One said.

“Everywhere,” said the other, coiling up on his master’s chest. “You just have to quit the guild, and then we’d be as free as a bird.”

“You’re a fool if you think it’ll be that easy,” their master snorted, but he did stand, holding the serpent in his arms to keep him from falling. “I may leave, but the guild won’t relinquish their claim on me that easily.”

“Well, isn’t that half the reason we’re running?” his other contract asked, brushing against his side to get his bags as the serpent moved to wrap loosely around his neck. “Who do you think will chase the hardest?”

“Probably the brats,” the Wolf-kin growled, his ears flicking back at the thought of his sort-of-kids. “Akashi doesn’t take change well.”

“Understatement of the century,” the other two snorted in amusement, the cat-like contract bringing her master his bag, which he accepted with a grateful scratch around her ears.

“Well, no time like the present, I guess.” The Wolf-kin sighed, shouldering his pack as he walked to his window. With a harsh shove, he forced the creaking window open and jumped down 30 feet to the ground, running the instant he landed with one familiar on his shoulders, the other by his side. A few button presses later, a roar echoed through the building, six people in near-hysterics.

“NIJIMURA?!”

Nijimura Shuuzou, former Guild Master of Miracles, was on the run.

* * *

“Ogiwara-kun, would you please hurry up? It’s your first weapon, you won’t be keeping it for that long.”

“Every weapon is important, Kuroko.” Tetsuya’s childhood friend and reason for trying the VRMMORPG, Kiseki no Game, whined back at him with a petulance that many thought to be feigned or exaggerated. Unfortunately, they would be wrong.

Tetsuya huffed and felt one of his Elven ears twitch in annoyance, very slight but noticeable to someone who was still getting used to the race they were playing. He gave his friend an annoyed non-expression, which seemed to do its job as the taller Cat-kin quickly grabbed a sword and tied it to his sash, leonine features apologetic.

Tetsuya was reluctantly impressed by the race choices available. While it offered the standard Human and Elf races, it didn’t bother separating the Elf into groups; rather it offered a wide range of variety to choose from in the section. The focus was instead put into the third race, the Beast-kin, which was then separated into Cat-kin, Wolf-kin, and Dragon-kin. While Tetsuya himself chose to be an elf, his friend, Ogiwara Shigehiro, chose to be a lion Cat-kin, and seemed to love it if his constant purring was any indication.

As the two walked around a little more in the Beginner Village, the blue-haired boy was distracted by the whispers and giggles of the people around them, and soon found himself uncomfortable as it evolved to them pointing at him and Ogiwara.

After a few more minutes of it, the orange-maned Cat-kin got tired of it as well. “What the hell are they staring at?” he muttered to himself, standing straight and blocking Tetsuya from view.

“They’re staring at you, kid.” The pair spun around to find themselves looking up the muzzle of a Wolf-kin, his jet-black fur only interrupted by streaks of grey that worked well with his grey eyes. In one of his hands was a staff that ended in a blade, and at his hind paws was a large cat-like creature with glowing green eyes.

“And why are they doing that?” Ogiwara asked, his grimace almost a snarl.

The Wolf-kin’s lips curled at the aggressive look, but he answered all the same. “Purring is typically considered “indecent” in public, so they’re wondering at what exactly you’re offering.” The cat-like creature chuffed in amusement, and Ogiwara’s ears went back in embarrassment, his purrs cutting off immediately.

“Ah. Didn’t know; sorry and thanks for the heads up.” Ogiwara scratched the back of his head sheepishly, his nose twitching as he registered the other male’s scent. Tetsuya could smell it too, though not as strongly as Ogiwara probably did. The other male smelled of woodlands and musk and what might have been the cologne that he used in the real world; it was overall a rather pleasant scent, Tetsuya noted, even more impressed by the game’s capabilities than before.

The Wolf-kin sniffed, but had calmed. “No problem.” He then glanced at the people around them, and Tetsuya was surprised to see many of them hurry on with their day at the look, the gawkers pushed aside in their rush to leave.

“So!” Ogiwara grinned, his fangs in a sharp display that had the elf leaning back in momentary surprise. “I’m Ogiwara, hoping to become a Samurai/Black Mage, and this is my friend Kuroko; he’s going to be a Shadow Mage/Ninja.”

The other male nodded sharply, turning with a flair of his cloak and walking with such purpose that Tetsuya found himself immediately following, Ogiwara beside him. “Nijimura; Summoner/Samurai. This is Shizuka,” here he nodded to the cat-like creature beside him. “She’s a Hellcat, and one of my contracts. My other contract’s name is Chikage; he’s a Quetzan.”

“Charmed,” Shizuka said, and Ogiwara jumped with a startled curse, while the blue-haired mage took a chance to really examine her. Hellcat fit the name of her species perfectly; Shizuka was built like a lioness with short, reddish brown fur, and had a pair of large saber fangs curving down from her upper jaw. Her tail was like a morning star, larger at the end with spikes sprouting from it, and brown, porcupine-like spines followed the length of her spine.

“You can talk!” he accused.

The Hellcat did not look in impressed with his discovery. “Of course I can talk,” she scoffed. “I’m not like one of those codependent _pets_.”

“Shizuka and Chikage are incredibly intelligent,” Nijimura added, his expression bland but equally unimpressed. “and summon contracts are much more intelligent than their tamed counterparts, as they need to experience a level of happiness in order to keep a contract with a Summoner and are able to break a contract at any time, so long as the reason is fair.”

“So long as the reason is fair?” Tetsuya repeated, curious, and Nijimura nodded. They were now entering the forest, and the Wolf-kin didn’t seem bothered by his tagalongs, if the way he headed towards the low-level quest areas was anything to go by.

“When a Summoner makes a contract with a creature, a copy is sent to the Summon Court and the Summoner Court where they are archived. If a summon or Summoner wishes to dissolve the contract, they must go to their respective courts and plead their case. If it is fair, the contract is dissolved and a notice is sent to the other court to make them aware of the change. There’s a lot more stuff that goes into the system, but that’s the basics of it.”

“Wow,” Ogiwara breathed, and Tetsuya agreed. “That sounds really interesting, but I’m so glad that I didn’t choose to be a Summoner; that’s way too much to keep in mind all of the time.”

“Every world has its own cultures, laws and social etiquette.” Nijimura dismissed, his eyes flicking back to them for a moment. “You would have figured it out eventually.”

Before either of them could speak up again, a red blur crashed down from the trees and wrapped itself around Nijimura’s neck. “Shuu!”

While both new players tensed and went for their weapons, the Wolf-kin sighed and kept walking, unbothered. “Chikage, you’re late.”

“Sorry, Shuu. I found Wari scouting nearby, and had to sneak by her.” Nijimura hummed thoughtfully at that, and the two new players slowly relaxed at the older player’s complete ease with the situation.

“You’re Chikage?” Ogiwara asked, curious, and Tetsuya leaned closer to better commit him to memory. The Quetzan looked like a dark red snake with a pair of wings that made him capable of flight, and had a crest of red and blue feathers on his head.

The Quetzan nodded at them. “Yep, and I’m guessing you’re Shuu’s newest strays, right?”

While Ogiwara nodded in confirmation, Tetsuya cocked his head curiously. “Why does he call you Shuu?”

“It’s part of my first name.”

“Why do they know your first name?”

“Because I made a _contract_ with them? You can’t expect both sides to fulfill their contract if one of you only gives half of their name.” That had never occurred to Tetsuya and, judging by his friend’s dumbfounded expression, nor had it to Ogiwara.

The Cat-kin whistled. “You have good instincts for being a Summoner, Nijimura.” The group remained silent until Nijimura came to an abrupt halt, sniffing the air quietly as his ears twitched to sense for danger.

“Alright,” the man began abruptly. “The quest areas are about ten feet that way,” a clawed finger rose up and point to where he meant. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Ogiwara paused and shot Nijimura an apprehensive look. “Are you leaving?” And Tetsuya agree with his friend’s unspoken sentiment. Nijimura was clearly an experienced player, and at least over level 30, given that he already had his second class. It would be good to have him around to give advice.

“I’m staying around here to collect and experiment on some herbs. Since I’m an Alchemist, it’s easier to make my own potions.”

“And more convenient,” Shizuka added, her tail swishing from side to side. “Since most potions don’t work for us, Shuu can make some that will.” The two newer players nodded, relieved, and left to complete their quests. The last glimpse of Nijimura Tetsuya caught before turning around was of the Wolf-kin removing his cloak to sit on, and the sight made Tetsuya smile wanly.

‘He has a tail.’

* * *

Shuuzou sighed as he leaned back against the cloak he had laid on the ground, the newly made potions lined up neatly beside him. “Why’d you stop making potions, Shuu?” Shizuka asked, concerned.

Shuuzou waved her concern away. “I ran out of bottles. I’ll probably start making herb bundles in a moment. Just wanted to see how the brats were doing in the interim between the two tasks.” He glanced over at where the kids had run off to, and at Chikage, who answered the unspoken question promptly.

“You talk like such an old man, Shuu. But they’ve almost finished all the needed quests in the area, and are now around level 7.”

The Wolf-kin blatantly ignored the first part. “That’s good. We’ll be able to move on to the next area quite soon at the rate they’re leveling.” Shuuzou stood up and stretched, his ears and nose twitching and his tail wagging slowly in his contentment.

“We don’t have to stay with them, Shuu,” Shizuka reminded him softly, nudging her head against his leg. “They don’t owe us, and we certainly don’t owe them. Why are we hanging around with these newbies?”

“I know we don’t, but…I just have a good feeling about them.” The Wolf-kin hummed for a moment, before smiling. “And who knows, maybe they’ll be able to help me regain my memory.”

Nijimura Shuuzou couldn’t remember anything before beginning in the first village at level one and Akashi, his former second in command in Miracles, seemed to know but wouldn’t tell him anything. That had played a part of why he had left the guild, besides his frustration at constantly being locked up there “to watch over the guild”.

“Akashi will probably try to stop you even more if he knows what you’re looking for.” Chikage hissed, Shizuka looking equally displeased. Both knew about his lack of memory and Akashi’s knowledge but refusal to tell, and that played a part in the contracts’ mutual dislike of Akashi.

Shuuzou smiled, small and bitter. “Then it’s a good thing that we’ll be the only ones who know what we’re doing.”

“What about the guild?”

“What about it?” Shuuzou looked up into the trees, trying to hide the longing in his eyes to let his guild mates know that he was safe; a number of them were quite the worriers. “They don’t need me for the guild to run.”

The dubious looks Chikage and Shizuka sent him showed their doubts in that regard.

* * *

The guild was falling apart.

Kise Ryouta ducked to avoid an incoming vase, and then winced as the shatter instigated more arguments throughout the guild hall. Nijimura had already been gone for three days, but the arguments weren’t lightening at all. In all fairness, a number of the fights were coming from the guild’s Summoners, each one desperate to know where their captain had gone to. ‘The chains of command are not easily broken, no matter how long it has been since the Wars,’ Ryouta thought ruefully, but it was understandable. To this day, few Summoners felt comfortable talking about the Wars.

The leopard Cat-kin’s ear twitched as he heard a screech of, “Dai-chan! That was the vase Takao-kun got me at the Niverna Isles!” followed by an, “Ouch! Damnit, Satsuki! I’ll get you a new one, okay?!”

The Blue Mage/Spy was moving to help Momoi heckle the midnight blue panther Cat-kin when a voice rose up that put ice in Ryouta’s veins. “Silence.”

Stepping into the now utterly still room was their former second in command and now leader, a blood red Dragon-kin. His scarlet scales glinted in the guild’s candlelight, and his red and gold eyes were near-murderous as he looked over the guild members who were there, which was probably why they all resembled deer in headlights.

Once he had properly grabbed the attention of everyone in the room, the Dragon-kin let a plume of smoke rise from his snout, and swished his spiked tail. “I will say what everyone is screaming; Guild Master Nijimura has quit the guild and run off. His location is unknown.”

When others began muttering in dissent, the Dragon-kin Red Mage/Assassin raised a claw, and silence fell once more on the guild hall. “This will not go without retaliation. If Niijimura is being otherwise _persuaded_ to leave the guild…the offenders will be properly punished.” There were nods throughout the guild hall, Ryouta one of the more fervent. The idea that his Guild Master – current or no, Nijimura would _always_ be his Guild Master – was being threatened made something dark surge within the real-world model.

“If he is not,” the Dragon-kin continued, “then we can simply invite him back and ask him why he left, and move to correct whatever mistakes we made.” The Dragon-kin cocked his head to the side, his elegantly curved golden horns glowing in the flickering light, the guild hall dimmer without their true Guild Master at the announcer podium. “Is that clear?”

Again, heads moved in a wave of nods and the Dragon-kin smiled, revealing wickedly sharp white teeth. “Good. Dismissed."


End file.
